The Swiss band is considered to be one of the most important innovators of European electric music. This year they shocked their fans as they made a fascinating acoustic album.
“Knock on Wood ” brings back delicious memories. Back in the ‘60s, Eddie Floyd reached the top of the charts with the same title, with his raw and charming brand of soul and R&B. Four decades later, The Young Gods’s new album has nothing to do with southern soul music, yet their “Knock on Wood ” has soul, and stands apart in the group’s exciting discography.
Zita Swoon is one of Belgium’s most popular bands, ever since Stef Kamil Carlens left dEUS (which he co-founded with Tom Barman) and started the group around the mid-’90s, under the name Moondog Jr. (soon rechristened Zita Swoon, at the request of Louis Hardin, the original Moondog).
Over the years her father had built up a fine collection of records featuring
soul classics and Nigerian music. The little girl grew up to the sounds of
artists including Marvin Gaye, Fela Kuti, Bob Marley, Aretha Franklin, Sunny
Ade, Ebenezer Obey and Lagbaja and went on to draw inspiration from them.
His latest album Jus de box mixes dark ballads with waltz rhythms, piano and
strings, in the style of the gravest laments by Tom Waits. And when he sings
just with his guitar, his haunting voice echoes the Russian bard Vladimir
Vysotski. While Arno depends on traditional instruments like piano, accordion,
strings and trumpet, he sounds like this is his last song of his life. Jus de
box spreads beautiful and highly personal message: the future of the francophone
chanson spells Arno.